Sunday, July 20, 2008

Long Coat and Scarf Required

Does anyone really think about some of the rules here? This is just devoid of any logic and will serve no purpose but to encumber nurses. The "Ministry of Health released a directive obligating nurses to wear new long coats covering their bodies, full sleeves and white scarves to cover their hair." Nursing is not an easy profession. Why make it more difficult? Some "nurses are complaining stating it is a decision that infringes on their personal freedom." Life in the Sandbox.

Abdulrahamn Al-Sahafi, public relations manager for Jeddah Health Affairs, said "Most of the nurses are wearing clothes for a long time that do not infringe on Islamic rules; but we still want to ensure that they wear the coat." A Saudi nurse said "Such decisions are good but people need to know that these coats are like abaya's allowing women to work freely without being concerned with exposing their bodies." Yeah. Nothing says comfort and freedom like an abeya.

8 comments:

reading this it occurred to me that you might like the movie persepolis. i just saw it recently and can't recommend it highly enough.probably one of the best movies i have ever seen.here's netflix' summary of it:Marjane (voiced by Chiara Mastroianni) just wants to be an ordinary kid, but that isn't easy in 1978 Iran. This profound animated film follows Marjane's childhood in a repressive society, her adolescence in France and return to Tehran as an adult. Based on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel, this Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature Film also features the vocal talents of Catherine Deneuve and Simon Abkarian.

Thanks for the recommendation, Greatsnake. I will see if the library here has the book. The movie will have to wait until we are in the States. It isn't like we have a Blockbuster on every corner where I could rent it. And since there are no movie theaters here...

I had lunch with my ER nurse friend yesterday and forgot to ask her about this law. I don't know what difference the coat is vs what drs wear in the US and what impact it would have on their being able to perform all their medical duties. As long as it doesn't make a difference in my medical care I could care less what is worn.

The bonus to this would possilby be stopping the fashion show amongst the Saudi women in Saad hospital. I mean.. hello who needs to wear those high heeled shoes to work ? And what is w/ the abya under the lab coat? And the perfume gag gag.. the makeup it isn't a wedding. I could go on because those gals annoy me so much.

The coat that doctors wear isn't full length, Nzingha, and how often do you see a doctor's coat buttoned top to bottom? Rarely. Wasn't there a rule passed a couple of years ago that there were to be no high-heeled shoes on nurses? My Mom, now retired, was a nurse and when I told her about that she said she thought it would be close to impossible to do a nurse's job in high heels.

I can't speak for Saad hospital, having never been there, but at the clinic and hospital here, I've never seen the nurses in anything but conservative dress - and if they are locals, they've got their white head covering and veils on - some with make-up, more without.

Have to agree with you about the perfume though - just a quick spritz - no need to bathe in it!

I don't think it is a full covering like an abya. It is the same coats they have been wearing in the clinics and ER. (visit Saad just for the experience lol) And they never button them up.

i'll have to ask my friend the specifics because this just seems to be the same law they have had in place but no one is listening.

I'll find out the details than comment :)

oh and the ones in saad w/ the high heels aren't nurses they work in the clinics. usually receptionist with an attitude that I usually want to slap but more times than not tell off. Me and my friend watched in utter amazement in the OB/GYN clinic at the fashion show. Heels, sling backs with bling, the perfume, the makeup, the giggles w/ male workers, the scarves with sun glasses on top of the head. And there is usually 6 and only 1 is working. Amazing sight really.

I'll have to take more notice of shoes on workers that are not nurses when I go back to the clinic to have my knee checked on the 26th of this month! And, I'll be checking to see if the nurses are wearing their "new" coats AND a head scarf.

About Me

Once upon a time, in the not too distant past, there was a Woman who thought she was living the American Dream. Her childhood, although now not particularly memorable, was fairly normal. She went to school. She got a job. She met a tall, blonde and handsome pilot and married him. It was all good. They were the perfect “Ken and Barbie” couple. The handsome pilot built her the house of her dreams in North Carolina, where she thought they would live for the remainder of their many, many days to come. Circumstances, totally out of the control of this lovely Ken and Barbie couple, changed everything. Shortly afterward, they came to find themselves living a whole new life in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Oh, sure, they are still the perfect “Ken and Barbie” couple, but Barbie now wears an abeyah over her designer outfits when she leaves her house, she has given up her pink convertible because she is not allowed to drive, and she no longer has an office that she visits five days a week, instead choosing to spend her time as a stay-at-home wife and an over-protective, doting Mommy to their two absolutely adorable, much loved and very, very pampered four-legged “Kids.”